5000 Crocus bulbs planted in the gardens in aid of World Polio Day

Last Wednesday on World Polio Day, the Rotary Club of Evesham together with students from Prince Henry’s High School and the Simon De Montfort School highlighted historic progress towards a polio-free world by planting 5000 purple crocus bulbs to add a splash of colour for all to see next spring when visiting the Walled Gardens at Croome Court.

Purple is the colour of the dye placed on the little finger on the left hand of a child to show they have been immunised against polio, hence the name Purple4Polio. With millions of children to vaccinate, this makes it easier to see who has been protected and who has not. Polio is a vaccine preventable disease that still threatens children in parts of the world today.

Since Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative nearly 30 years ago, the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99.9 percent, from about 350,000 cases a year in 125 countries to just 22 cases in 2018 and with just three remaining polio-endemic countries, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria.

To sustain this progress and protect all children from polio, Rotary International has committed to raising US$50 million per year over the next three years in support of global polio eradication efforts. Without full funding and political commitment, this paralysing disease could return to previously polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk.

“Chris and I are very excited to be taking part in this very worthwhile project and hope that it will help highlight the work done by the Rotary Organisation to eradicate this awful disease to our visitors” said Karen Cronin of The Walled Gardens at Croome.